Mad about Mushrooms . . .

Mohawk Restaurant & Lounge - Crescent, OR

One of the great joys of a road trip is discovering those little, out-of-the-way, roadside cafes, such as the Mohawk Restaurant & Lounge in Crescent, OR.  Situated about 90 miles from the nearest notable towns of Klamath Falls to the South and Eugene to the Northwest, it nonetheless attracts a consistent following of locals, hunters, snowmobilers, skiers and tourists, such as ourselves.

There's a lot more than great food at at the Mohawk.

Hoodoo's Crescent Lake Resort & The Pines Bar & Grill - Crescent Lake, OR

When we started our week-long road trip from Port Orford to Crescent Lake, Klamath Falls and Grants Pass, I don't think that either Steven or I could have forecast it would turn out to be such a delightful trip.  The scenery and the outdoor experiences as well as the food and accomodations were all very special.

The view from our cabin was awesome. 

February Foray to Lincoln City, OR Nets New Favorites!

We've just returned home from a couple of days at Lincoln City.  We were so fortunate to be visiting during another splendid, spring-like weather pattern:  sunny and warm, t-shirt type weather.  We hadn’t been in this central beach community for quite some time and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves rediscovering it. 

It was great fun to walk through our No. 1 favorite gallery in town, the Pacific Artists Alliance, and see the new works by local artists, including one in particular we admire a lot, Tim Power; his large copper salmon can be seen in one of the studio sets for OPB’s “Oregon Art Beat”.  Tim is such a fine individual with a wonderful life story.  His latest creations involve using a single strand of stainless steel wire to create fanciful creatures.  We’re particultarly fascinated with his 3’ high sculpture of a tuna fish performing karaoke that was constructed using a strand of wire which is about 2,000’ in length!  Magical! 

 

We were also glad to discover the North Lincoln County Historical Museum; what a find!  Kudos to Director Anne Hall and her volunteers for such a delightful experience.  I think that our favorite exhibit was memorabilia from the old Pixie Kitchen restaurant.  Do you remember this long-time Lincoln City institution?   It closed in 1985, but for many years was a "must stop" for lots of people visiting Lincoln City.   As you entered the eatery, you encountered fun house mirrors, picture box tables, a great gift shop, and of course, the pixie-filled grotto full of mechanical pixies. Maybe the food was generally good (although not remarkable), but that didn’t matter because everywhere there was something fun and festive!    Surely, the world is a sadder place without the Pixie Kitchen…in fact, maybe the demise of the Pixie Kitchen is a sign of how low our civilization has fallen! 

Drina Daisy - Astoria, OR

We recently celebrated getting over our end-of-the-year viruses by taking a quick trip up to Astoria, which is about ½ hour north of Warrenton where I grew up. What a transformation that whole area has gone through – so prosperous looking, with the addition of several big box stores, and a major upgrade to the downtown area. It was great to see how lively the towns on the North coast looked. Still, there must be a number of residents that long for the quiet days when tourists and shoppers didn’t line the streets and life was much more private and secure.

Mallards swimming in the peaceful Astoria boat harbor. 

Riverview Restaurant - Troutdale, OR

If you live in the northwest, then you surely must know Yoshida.  He's been everywhere:  on TV, in print and on billboards.  He's our version of the energizer bunny.  The story goes that he arrived in Seattle from Japan with only $500 in his pocket, taught karate, then started making his gourmet cooking sauce as gifts for friends.  Our waiter reported that Yoshida continues to market this and other products along with being responsible for 35 additional enterprises, including the Riverview Restaurant where he dines on a regular basis. 

The Yoshidas acquired the historic fifteen acre site in 1991.  According to their website, the Riverview Restaurant "was specifically designed to take advantage of the natural beauty of the region and provide an exceptional view of Troutdale’s scenic Sandy River. Adding to its unique elements, all of the milled trees that were removed on the property were incorporated into the building’s structure. The gazebo and manicured grounds have been designed to explore, host weddings and receptions, and for entertainment or musical venues."  Throughout the restaurant,  original artwork from the Yoshida's private collection is displayed.

The Depot Restaurant - Seaview, WA

It was a Groupon that took us to The Depot Restaurant on the Long Beach peninsula in southwestern Washington, but it's the food that will draw us back.  What a great dinner, complimented by attentive service and pleasant surroundings. 

The Depot Restaurant has gathered acclaim far and wide, winning such titles as best fine dining, best desserts, best chowder, best romantic atmosphere, etc.  But, when you come right down to it, it's what you experience that makes a restaurant noteworthy.  And, our experience was flawless. 

All the rains this spring ensured bountiful blossoms.

J's Fish & Chips - Lincoln City, OR

Sometimes it seems as if we are in a perpetual search for the tastiest fish and chips.  Well, our quest may just be over, now that we've discovered J's in Lincoln City.

We'd been promising ourselves for years that someday we would attend the annual kite festival up the coast in Lincoln City.  For several reasons, 2012 turned out to be the year.  We had it all planned out - stay at the Comfort Inn across from the festival site at D River, have dinner Friday night with our friend Gary MacEachern, a well-known kite flyer and maker, and have a wonderful time enjoying the sites on a warm, sunny weekend.

Balloon kites filled the air on Saturday.

Sea Harvest Restaurant - Monterey, CA

On our recent trip to the central California coast, we spent two nights in Monterey, and after a really full whole day at the Aquarium (the best we've seen!) we contemplated which of the many restaurants available in that tony city would be our best choice for dinner on this, our last night in town.   We'd asked a couple of people we'd met at the aquarium for their thoughts, and one place close by was mentioned by all of them: the Sea Harvest.   "It's not fancy," said one, "but I love seafood, and I've never had a bad meal there."

The previous night, we'd strolled around the Cannery Row area, and suspected more than one of the restaurants there of being in the category of "tourist trap:" long on flash (and price) but perhaps a bit short on quality.  After the aquarium closed, we strolled over and checked out the Sea Harvest for ourselves.  Our new friend was right; it wasn't fancy, but it was clean and busy.  A combination fish market and restaurant, they serve beer and wine while offering a limited menu of seafood items, but if you can't find something on their menu that sounds great, you're just not trying.  Their menu says they've been family owned and operated since 1983 - also a good omen.  Prices weren't cheap, but they didn't strike us as unreasonable, assuming the quality was good.

It's an easy walk to Sea Harvest from the Aquarium. 

Brix 527 - Roseburg, OR

Would you have lunch and dinner in the same restaurant?  Well, I think you would if you were in Roseburg, and the restaurant was Brix 527.  That's what I did a couple of months ago. 

Steven and I headed off to Roseburg early one morning in April so that I could attend a business conference (TOC-OWA; The Oregon Consortium / Oregon Workforce Alliance), arriving in town just in time for a quick lunch before joining the afternoon session.  The restaurant was packed, and the crowd was alive.  Sounds echoed off the brick wall that lines the room.  We debated, "Did we want the small table with the high chairs or did we want to wait?  The answer was a quick, "Yes, let's take it - we're running late."

Brix 527 is an enjoyable eating place
on the way to Crater Lake. 

T2J Thai Restaurant - San Francisco, CA

One of the many delights about living on the southern Oregon coast is that we’re half way between Seattle and San Francisco, a day-long drive to either.  What good fortune;  it’s an easy drive to the many cultural and culinary events that make visits to both of these beautiful, world class cities so rewarding!

Given our proximity to the City by the Bay, it’s not unusual to find us in China Town, walking the streets, smelling the aromas, savoring the sights.  Nor is it unusual to see us seated a few blocks away from there, in T2J Thai Restaurant, our all-time favorite Thai restaurant.  We don't often go back to the same restaurants, at least not frequently; there are so many good ones in San Francisco, it's fun to try new places.  We make an exception for T2J Thai Restaurant, and almost never visit the city without dining there.

T2J Thai was formerly known as the Little Thai Restaurant.